Have Sidmouth businesses made the most of the summer?

Vincent Page, of Antiques on High, celebrates one year in business. Picture: Antiques on High (Image: Archant)

Is the summer trade turning out to be all you expected now we are finally in the thick of it?

Just as we thought we might get a bumper Christmas last year, Omicron reared its head on the back of the Covid crisis in late November last year and many businesses may feel they have been chasing their tail ever since in a bid to catch up.

We must not complain as the summer is well and truly with us in abundance and it has been hotter than most could have hoped for, as we sit on the seafront patiently waiting for the next global drama to enter our lives.

With the Bank of England taking a first, by predicting that the country will be in a recession by October lasting until the end of next year, perhaps the people who sit behind the desks pushing pens would like to take a walk down their local high street as most company owners have struggled all year.

As the televised fight for the seat at Number 10 continues, our new prime minister will be announced on September 5 and some may say it’s a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea, but whoever takes the top spot will have just over a month to put into place the plan which, let’s face it, they are already working on to steer the country away from the recession predicted by the Bank of England.

The economy is expected to shrink from October onwards, which no doubt means trade will reduce, well doesn’t it always?

However, the latest prediction is blamed fairly and squarely on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the increasing gas prices with Russia restricting supplies to Europe as they feel stamping their feet in an attempt to get their own way is the best way forward.

While it is not something that we like to accept in real terms, if Russia wins the war tomorrow are gas prices going to tumble down to their pre-war prices?

Not a chance and if the Ukraine overthrow Russia in the next week will the powers that be take the same approach and reduce prices again?

We will have to wait and see but I think that may be a rhetorical question.